Getting started - Meetings

During the 3-way meeting, the young man and the mentor will agree the level of support needed.  There are no hard rules and, importantly, it will be led/determined by the you.

The frequency of face to face meetings;

Whilst in prison, the expectation is to meet face to face with your mentee, every 3 months.  This would be classed as a legal visit, be arranged by Key4Life and include the case worker.

Upon release, the expectation is to meet face to face once a month, in a public place.  

Meetings and calls may need to be more frequent initially in order to ensure systems are in place and working. Key4Life must be notified in advance of all meetings taking place - date, time and location.

Meet-ups can regularly include jointly agreed practical activities that relate to goals/action steps.

Activities can vary; walking, bowling or simply a coffee in a café during which mentors can: 

• Prompt conversation around beliefs, values, needs and who they want to be 
• Encourage and increase self-confidence and positivity 
• Strengthen the relationship and allow mutual learning through sharing an experience 

Feedback:  It is imperative that mentors feedback to the mentor manager or case worker following a meeting with their mentee.  

Commitment is key: Mentors will need to be able to commit to mentoring a young man for up to 12 months post release, 6 months for “At Risk” programme. Availability, reliability and consistency are also key to good mentoring relationships.